CAJE Blog

Last week, CAJE’s Miami Leo Martin March of the Living hosted An Evening of Legacy — a gathering created with one powerful goal: to raise the necessary funds to bring Holocaust Survivors to Poland so they can share their testimonies directly with community teens. More than just a fundraiser, the event highlighted the power of memory, testimony, and generational responsibility, reminding us all why this mission matters now more than ever. Central to the evening was a stunning visual exhibition by Laszlo Selly, both a Holocaust Survivor and photographer, who captured intimate portraits of fellow Survivors.

This past Sunday, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s BeWell Miami Initiative, in proud partnership with the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) and Jewish Community Services (JCS), hosted its Second Annual BeWell Youth Mental Health Summit, bringing together parents, caregivers, professionals, and community members for a powerful day centered on adolescent mental health and well-being. Attendees engaged in meaningful discussions, practical workshops, and hands-on sessions designed to equip them with the tools, language, and strategies needed to better support the youth in their lives — at home, in schools, and across the broader Jewish community.

The above was the title of the interactive workshop offered two weeks ago by Dara Horn at the Holocaust Teacher’s Institute of the University of Miami School of Education and Human Development. Most of the attendees were public school teachers from all across Miami-Dade. This was a full-day workshop, so I divided my description of what we learned into two parts. Part one explored how Dara Horn laid out the seminal foundations of Jewish civilization and what made its ideas so radical. Part two laid out the Dynamics of Antisemitism.

Thanks to all who were able to join us for “Israel at a Crossroads: Three Big Dilemmas for the Jewish State" featuring Tal Becker, Vice President of the Shalom Hartman Institute. Whether you joined us in person or missed the conversation, we’re excited to share some key insights from this thought-provoking discussion on 3 dilemmas that are not about our immediate security and survival but do address the long-term thriving of the State of Israel going forward.

The above was the title of the interactive workshop offered this week by Dara Horn at the Holocaust Teacher’s Institute of the University of Miami School of Education and Human Development. Carly Orshan, CAJE’s Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Teen Education, and I were invited by Dr. Kassenoff to attend from CAJE.

This past week, CAJE’s Executive Director, Rabbi Efrat Zarren-Zohar, and Senior Director of Strategic and Teen Initiatives, Carly Orshan, had the privilege of meeting with the COYO delegation, an esteemed group of top leaders from Israel’s foremost youth organizations. COYO: the Israeli Council for Youth Organizations, an umbrella organization that represents a diverse network of 21 different initiatives that empower young people across Israeli society, including both Jewish and Arab communities.

CAJE is excited to announce that Rabbi Efrat Zarren-Zohar, CAJE’s Executive Director, has been appointed to the Miami-Dade County Public School system’s Task Force on Antisemitism. In response to rising hate, the school system created a task force led by Ines Meras, District Director of FACE- Family and Community Engagement, a program of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS).

For decades, CAJE’s Leo Martin March of the Living (often referred to as "the Miami March") has shaped the next generation of Jewish leaders by strengthening their identity, educating about the Holocaust, and equipping them to confront antisemitism and advocate for Israel. At the heart of this journey is the presence of Holocaust Survivors, whose testimonies turn history into lived memory. But we need your support too enable them to come with the teens to Poland by providing them with upgraded flights, single rooms, and personalized care so they travel in dignity.